Mattel has awarded its sales promotion and direct marketing
business for the Fisher-Price brand to Dynamo after two separate
reviews.
The appointment is part of a bid by Fisher-Price to plough more of its
budget below the line. Dynamo’s work will kick off in February with a
direct marketing campaign and will be followed by in-store promotional
activity.
Putting across a consistent message for Fisher-Price will be high on the
agenda for both consumer and trade activity, with the aim of maintaining
a high level of brand awareness. This will include point-of-purchase
material with tailor-made activity for major brands.
Mike Townend, co-founder and managing director of Dynamo, said:
’Fisher-Price is the highest spender in its sector above the line, and
there was a feeling that it wasn’t quite working as hard as it should
and translating well to the promotional activity.’
He added: ’The company is brilliant at coming up with ideas and knowing
exactly how children develop. The direct marketing work will include
direct mail, and will target mothers of new-born babies, explaining just
that.’
Mary Wood, the business unit manager at Fisher-Price, said:
’Fisher-Price enjoys a high level of brand awareness among consumers,
but is always looking at new and creative ways to target the trade and
consumers.
’The pre-school sector is a competitive market and Dynamo came up with a
strategic approach to strengthening our in-store presence together with
a direct marketing campaign to work alongside this to maximise
impact.’
Fisher-Price’s above-the-line advertising is handled by Ogilvy & Mather,
although a large body of the work is created in the US and adapted for
the UK market. MindShare handles the brand’s media planning and buying.
